There are two readings for today.
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 125
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore. [Psalm 125:2]
I am surrounded and secure, safe within His powerful hands.
As the worshippers ascend the slopes towards Jerusalem to celebrate the feast (a song of ‘ascents’), they see the surrounding mountains that protect the city.
The visual reminder spurs their confidence in God, even though their lives back home are not easy.
Back home there are tensions and conflicts, their land is under the control of a foreign power (the sceptre of the wicked), but the surrounding hills remind them of God.
He still surrounds them, and the foreign powers; they will endure forever!
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. [John 10:27-29]
Jesus takes another analogy – the shepherd and his sheep – and applies that to Himself and to God, to communicate the same thing.
Jesus describes His hand, and the hand of the Father, two hands surrounding the sheep.
In His hands, no one will snatch them, they will never perish.
Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. [Psalm 125:1]
Those who trust in the LORD are like (sheep), which cannot be (snatched away) but endures forever. [Psalm 125:1/John 10:28-29]
The lesson from this is how believers need to reinforce the truth in their minds while they are going through tough times.
When things go wrong, when life is falling apart, when grief or suffering or hardship threaten to undo us, we declare our confidence in the Lord, in His surrounding power and protective hands.
We are not offered an easy life, but we are offered a certain hope.
We may suffer but we will not be defeated; we may experience death, but we will live forever.
Like the people going up to Jerusalem to remind themselves of God’s protective presence and power, we need to get into a space where we can be reminded too.
Go to a church gathering, go to a small group of believers, go to a quiet space with prayer, go to a worship space with faith music, go to a scenic place in creation – get into a zone where you can renew your faith.
Declare before everything and everyone that You are surrounded and secure, and allow His hands to hold you – no one can snatch you from His hands!
PRAYER:
Lord, I am surrounded and secure. I say this not because life is easy, but because You are God. My life is in Your hands.
Trust.
Trust with all your heart. It can not be moved. God is the I AM and He surrounds all His people who trust in Him. Today and forever. That’s fact.
However, just because I trust does not mean only good happens. Remember the disciples in the boat and the storm? But where did they run? They are safe with their Lord. Their security would be to be asleep with Jesus in the boat. Their lives was in His hands and He calmed their storms of life. However, He did not banish storms.
My times are in His hands. Each day anew, I need to say and do – Today God Is First to be GodStrong.
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Refrain
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
Refrain
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Refrain
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
Refrain